July 11, 2008	Friday	Rajab 7, 1429

BANGKOK, July 10: Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama quit after political row over an ancient temple on Thursday, the latest blow to a shaky government hit by a series of damaging court rulings and ongoing street protests.

The resignation paved the way for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to shuffle his cabinet in a bid to save his five-month old administration, analysts said.

“If Samak wants to turn this crisis into an opportunity, he could take this occasion to carry out a major reshuffle,”

Chulalongkorn University analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak said.

“It has to be extensive, get rid of controversial faces and bring in respectable experts with proven experience.”

Noppadon, a target for impeachment after a court ruled the cabinet’s backing of Cambodia’s bid to list Preah Vihear temple was unconstitutional, insisted he had done nothing wrong.

Groups trying to oust the government have whipped up nationalist fervour over the temple on the Thai-Cambodian border, which many Thais believe belongs to them. They accused Noppadon of selling out the country’s heritage.

“My fellow Thais, I have not sold out the country. I love this country like any other Thai,” he told reporters, adding he quit for the sake of “unity and reconciliation.”

“There have been attempts to use this issue to instigate hatred and disunity among people in the country, and between Thailand and Cambodia,” he said.

His resignation, which takes effect on Monday, came hours after the opposition Democrat Party moved to impeach the Oxford-educated lawyer who worked for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after his ouster in a 2006 coup.

“He deliberately co-signed that communique to violate the constitution,” said the petition by the Democrats who have said they may still target the entire cabinet.—Reuters